Retaliatory Shootings in Cork City

On the morning of February 28, 1921, six IRA volunteers were executed at Victoria Barracks. This included five arrested a month earlier at the Dripsey ambush and also John Allen. That evening the IRA took revenge, when the First Brigade hit back at the enemy. Between 6.30pm and 8pm shooting was heard all over the city. The first incident took place at Hayes Lane, which connects Mayfield to Montonette. An off-duty soldier, Private Wyse, was talking to a young woman when two men approached him and shot him at close range. This shooting was reported to have been carried out by Frank Busteed. Another soldier, named as Corporal Hodnett, was shot four times as he walked along nearby Ballyvolane Road. Fifteen minutes later, two soldiers were shot dead  near the junction of Cork's main thoroughfare Patrick’s Street and Academy Street. Yet more shootings occurred at the Grand Parade end of Patrick’s Street and also along the South Mall where another soldier was shot dead. A soldier also died at Patrick's Bridge and two others were found badly wounded. In all, six soldiers were killed that night and at least six wounded, four seriously.

List of dead:
Lance Corporal J. D, Hodnett, RAMC
Lance Corporal J. Beatty, Second Hants.
SIG. G. Bowden, R.E.S.
Private W. A. Gill, Second Hants.
Private T. Wyse, RAMC
Bandmin. A. Whiteer, Second Hants.

Seriously wounded:
Private V. Price, 2nd S. Staffordshires
Private E. Hill, 2nd S. Staffordshires
Private G. Bollscott, 2nd S. Staffordshires
Private S. Bottersworth, 2nd Hants.

* Also killed on that night was railway employee Charles Daly, who was shot dead by the Auxiliaries in Glanmire railway station tunnel. His brother Michael had been shot two weeks previously.